Russ

Working with BC's non-tenured value added wood processors to get the greatest possible socioeconomic benefit per cubic meter harvested

[Russ @Russ81843892]

We would love to add more value to the BC Public's wood right here in BC, but that's not possible now that Western Forest Products is sending BC's wood to the USA and employing Americans to do it. https://t.co/zrHdBhWsqv

[Russ @Russ81843892]

In millions of m3, the share of the Public’s timber reserved for the exclusive use of Canfor, 10.8, West Fraser, 5.4, Western Forest Products, 5, Interfor, 3.3. The share for the dozens of BC family owned value added companies to bid for? Only 1.1 million m3. We do more to less.

[Russ @Russ81843892]

The Market Pricing System of 2003 used to set stumpage for non-competitive Publicly owned timber lags the lumber market by many months. This non-responsive system results in the sawmills doing well in rising lumber markets and then having to shutdown in falling lumber markets.

[Russ @Russ81843892]

Yes, China's Politburo directed economy works well for them at the moment. But we in BC, find it difficult to compete for our own resources with non-market economies. It's a problem for us all when BC'rs that earn a living off processing our resources can't get access to a share.

[Clint Parcher @clintparcher]

I’m glad someone is finally pointing out the real reasons why Canadian manufacturers cannot compete with Asian buyers. FOREST INK: Why can the Asian markets pay more for B.C. logs than our local mills? https://t.co/ud9VIwqVQN

[Russ @Russ81843892]

The tenured BC companies that choose to employ Americans do their value-added wood processing should feed their US plants with US wood, not ours. BC’s family owned value-added wood processors need a share of our fibre to employ British Columbians to do that work. Pls retweet.

[Russ @Russ81843892]

30 British Columbians that had been adding value to the lumber that Western Forest Products cuts from the BC Public’s timber resource were told that they had just worked their last shift. Western purchased a US plant and is now employing Americans to add value to BC’s wood.

[Russ @Russ81843892]

To maximize the socio-economic benefit from BC’s publicly owned forests, we need to stop the big tenured companies from moving value-added work to the USA. Western Forest Products is moving its value-added work from BC to Arlington, Washington and hiring Americans to do it.

[Russ @Russ81843892]

The shareholders of the big forest companies do not own BC’s forests. You do. If they choose not to use the privilege of accessing your resource to your benefit, then take it away and give it to someone who will.

[Russ @Russ81843892]

It’s obvious that employment in BC’s sawmill sector is now in permanent decline. It is also obvious that we have the opportunity to replace these lost jobs by hiring more British Columbians to add more value to the lumber cut from the Public’s forest resource. Please retweet.

[Russ @Russ81843892]

We are missing the opportunity to replace lost sawmill jobs with value added jobs. BC’s family owned and operated value-added companies need your help. Please retweet our thoughts over the next couple of months.

[Russ @Russ81843892]

The outlook for adding value to the BC Public's wood resource here in BC looks bleak as the big tenured companies are sending even more of our work and input lumber raw material directly to the USA.

[Russ @Russ81843892]

And it just gets worse. Apparently the US Dept of Commerce has just added Shakes and Shingles to the Scope of the softwood lumber Duty Orders

[Russ @Russ81843892]

Per May 18 Tweet. WFP just bought a US reman plant. Will remanufacturable wood WFP cuts from BC Public timber go to the USA for value added now as, Interfor already does, instead of being processed here in BC? WFP already exports the BC public's logs. Now our raw material?

[Russ @Russ81843892]

Please support BC's family owned value added wood processors. We live here in BC and have no intention of moving to the USA like the big guys are.

[Russ @Russ81843892]

and so it continues this year too ... Interfor, $46 million on it’s sawmill in Monticello, Arkansas … Canfor, $28 million expansion to its Moultrie, Georgia facility … West Fraser Timber … $430 million acquisition of 6 sawmills and a fingerjoint mill in Florida and Georgia.

[Russ @Russ81843892]

IWPA thanks N. Cowichan Councillor Douglas for support and guidance in getting our Resolution passed by the UBCM. https://t.co/zrHdBhWsqv

[Russ @Russ81843892]

The IWPA is hopeful that the UBCM will pass Resolution 34 in support of value added and specialty wood processing in BC

[Russ @Russ81843892]

A 90 year old family owned company goes down. Again it's due to consolidation of tenure. This time it's a logger. https://t.co/3hAU19gGs1

[Russ @Russ81843892]

BC Big Boys now own 45 US mills. WFP shuts down more coast mills. BC's family owned valued added folks aren't going anywhere. We live here.

[Russ @Russ81843892]

Therefore to maximize the socioeconomic benefit/m3 harvested and per unit of BC's Quota, BC's value added sector needs access to Quota.